Perplexity vs Google vs ChatGPT: Best for Research 2026

TL;DR: Perplexity for quick cited research. Google for shopping and local. ChatGPT for deep analysis and reasoning.

Perplexity

Free-$20/mo

AI search with citations

Google

Free

Traditional search, broadest index

ChatGPT

Free-$20/mo

Conversational research, reasoning

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Feature Perplexity Google ChatGPT
Citations Always Yes (links) Sometimes
Follow-up Questions Natural New search Excellent
Depth of Analysis Good Surface Excellent
Current Info Yes Yes Training cutoff
Shopping/Local Basic Excellent No
Academic Research Good Scholar Good

Our Verdict

Perplexity for quick cited research. Google for shopping and local. ChatGPT for deep analysis and reasoning.

FAQ

Can I use multiple tools?

Yes. Many professionals combine tools. For example, use Claude for writing and ChatGPT for image generation.

Which has the best free tier?

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